Jeff Ling is the guitarist of Australian metal core band Parkway Drive. The band comes from Byron Bay New South Wales and was founded in 2002 by local friends Jeff Ling on guitar, singer Winston McCall, Ben Gordon on drums and Luke Kilpatrick on rhythm guitar. The original bassist was Brett Lagg later to be replaced by Sean Cash in the following year and subsequently by Jia O’Connor who is the current bass player. The band has released three full-length albums, a DVD, two split EPs and an EP to date.
The name Parkway Drive comes from the address of the band’s first rehearsal premises a garage in Parkway drive Byron Bay. This metalcore band was a contrast to the surfer hippy beach image of Byron Bay and the intricate guitar riffs provided by Jeff Ling and Luke Kilpatrick and the punishing breakdowns and emotional tension created by the band have quickly captured the attention of metal fans.
Their first recording was an EP “Don’t Close Your Eyes” established some early success in Australia and a further split EP along with Adelaide band “I killed the Prom queen” bought the band to the attention of metal audiences. Touring as a support act for visiting American bands such as Hatebreed and Chimaira, bought Parkway Drive to metal fans across Australia.
The band recorded their debut album in the USA with KillSwitch Engage band member and record producer Adam Dutkiewicz. “Killing With a Smile” was released in 2005 selling 30 000 copies in Australia. The band signed to Epitaph records in 2006 and the album was also released in the USA.
Parkway Drive have gone on to release a further two albums since their debut, the most recent “Deep Blue “released in 2010 which got to number 2 on the Australian Apple i store download chart 4 hours after release.
Parkway drive have toured the UK, USA, Europe and Australia and have been gaining support for their hardcore pure metal sound. Jeff Ling plays ESP guitars and is hoping for an endorsement. If Parkway Drive continue in the same way no doubt he will soon get his wish and this Aussie metalcore band will become as well known outside of Australia as they are in their home country.